Transmission LineAllow me to begin by expressing my respect for Dr. Allen. He and I agree on many issues. Unfortunately, the proposed Plains & Eastern HVDC transmission line is not one of them. He’s correct when he says this fight is about the future. It is not, however, only about the future of carbon emissions in our country, but also about the future of property rights: whether it is appropriate for the federal government to partner with private, for-profit...

Opposition to Clean Line Transmission Line projectIn writing this letter the main objective is to inform people about the proposed HVDC ( High Voltage Direct Current) transmission line that a private company, Clean Line Energy Partners, LLC is attempting to install throughout Arkansas to Tennessee. Wind energy generated in the panhandle of Oklahoma by wind turbines (which haven’t been built yet) is to be transported by these lines to Tennessee. Clean Line doesn’t have one customer yet, no con...

Rethinking a Unified RJHSI would like to apologize to the kids at RJHS. I am sorry that I didn’t speak up more or come to the school board meeting and talk against combining the East and West programs. I did contact a few board members and some were semi-sympathetic but all caved in under the pressure when it came time to vote. I’m sorry for you guys and gals that would have played on a varsity team this year but are now riding the bench. Same for volleyball, basketba...

Remember the flood of Dec. 13, 1982The Russellville City Council must not be long-time residents of Pope County or they would remember the flood of Dec. 13, 1982. Over 14 inches of rain fell in one day and over 17 inches of rain over a two day period. The city's water works pumps were flooded. Water water everywhere and nary any to drink! If they think that filling in the North Phoenix site with a few feet of dirt will protect the new aquatic center in a flood plain they are sa...

Dear politiciansI would be strongly encouraged to vote for aspiring job applicants who would champion laws making it illegal to publicly run ads or otherwise waste so much money except during the window of six weeks before any election. Anyone who agrees can vote for that right here. Dan Lightfoot Russellville

What's your identity?My Identity: Identity is defined as who you are. It’s what makes you who you are; it’s what makes you unique. Still it can be hard to grasp because some of us are still trying to find out our identity and who we are. You know when you’re a child you don’t really know who you are, and at times certain labels get placed on you because of the way you look, or talk or act. But that doesn’t define who you are. No matter what you like or don’t like ...

On Davidson’s welfare opinion pieceJim Davidson’s Friday opinion piece, “How did we get here?” uses data put forward by the Cato institute to make the case that welfare payments are largely (if not solely) responsible for an ever increasing national debt. One problem: Cato’s data is bogus and was shown to be so by folks across the political spectrum soon after the report’s release last year. Welfare does not pay more than minimum wage in 33 states, and welfare recipients in Haw...

Researching crematoriumsI commend Scott Steuber on his research on crematoriums and am appalled that 21 have been constructed in this state without a public hearing. I also have a question to pose: Who takes possession of the dental scrap from the deceased — the family or the funeral home? I have discovered that dental scrap is comprised of much more than just fillings. The selling of dental scrap for cash is big business; a Google search netted me 498,000 hits. I be...

"Left" and "Right:" A little Bible studyRan across an interesting comparison between the right and the left from a biblical perspective. Maybe this is why the left wants to keep the bible and Jesus out of everything. Jesus said: "Goats on the left, sheep on the right," (Matthew 25:33). Jesus told Peter that if he wanted to catch fish do it from the right side of the boat. They did and filled the boat with fish. John 21:6 (NIV) "Jesus said, 'Throw your net on the right side of the bo...

Keep the Natural State naturalPeople live in the country because they want the views, the quiet, the pristine land, to be active outside and healthy. Clean Line Energy’s proposed monstrously tall and wide towers with leveled naked ground surrounding them as well as the noisy hum, radio frequency interference, corona effects, electromagnetic interference and the magnetic and electric fields destroy the reason people choose to settle in the Arkansas countryside. Our national...

The facts about the Crow Mountain Fire DepartmentI am a volunteer firefighter with the Crow Mountain Fire Department and a member of the board for the Crow Mountain Fire Protection District. I would like to address the allegations David Ivy has made against the board members of the Crow Mountain Fire Protection District. In the early 1980s, the residents of the Crow Mountain Fire District voted to establish a fire protection district. In 2012, we consulted attorney Jim Coutts to see what we ...

An inside view at the Russellville Animal ShelterThere has been a lot of talk about how bad the animal shelter employees are, as in how they don't care about the animals and just want to kill them. It has been said they don't try to adopt, foster or advertise to find them homes. I've heard that the shelter smells. For the last 30 years, through my personal interactions with the staff from the shelter on C Street to its current location on South Mobile, I have watched the shelter progress wit...

To residents of the Crow Mountain Fire DistrictI am thankful for all volunteers who serve in any capacity in our fire district and county. They give of their time and energy and should be commended for their service. However, I would like to share some information and thoughts particularly with the residents of the Crow Mountain Fire Protection District. The Crow Mountain Fire Protection District Board recently raised its assessments by 300 percent, from $20 to $80 annually. The assessment...

Happy Birthday AmericaO, to be there with Francis Scott Key, Seeing red glaring rockets and bombs bursting o’er the sea To view Old Glory all tattered and torn, And witness another chapter of America born. To envision that sunrise with the smoke and haze With everyone staring with unbelief in a daze. The words were scrawled on parchment with a quill And you could see the lines marked out to fit the bill Rephrasing the text so there would be no doubt. Understanding ...

Comments on Coach Joe Gibbs Game Plan for Life breakfastIt was a blessing to have a man with Hall of Fame Coach Joe Gibbs’ credentials come to the Arkansas River Valley and share his Game Plan for Life with us. In a couple of days you can go to www.gameplanforlife.com and see pictures of this event along with many others. It took a large steering committee to get the multitude of details done that are necessary to pull off an event of this size. Men like Jay Ham, Cameron Lane, Dr. Bruce Brown, Marv...

With Liberty and Justice for AllI am disturbed by the recent state police announcements of police checkpoints. To my sensibilities, this is not freedom. There is absolutely no way that detaining people with no reasonable suspicion or probable cause and coercing them to comply with unreasonable searches at something called a 'checkpoint' is constitutional. It wreaks of The Third Reich. It is very difficult for me to have any respect for those law enforcement personnel who kno...

A helping handOn Saturday, June 21, I had to pick a food box up for a disabled friend. I was told to call Augsburg Lutheran Church. I did and Ms. Dorn and Ms. Choate were very helpful. I was so impressed with their operation. Everyone was treated with the utmost respect and courtesy. The food boxes were filled with numerous goodies, and there was even fresh fruit and veggies. I am so thankful for this ministry and those who donated their time and efforts to...

Washington 'R's' remain on legislators' mindsAn article on Thursday, June 18 related that the U.S. Patent Office had stripped the Washington Redskins of trademark protection. For the remainder of this letter I will refer to the R-word, for reasons which should become clear. The reason given (in part) for stripping the trademark protection was that it is “disparaging of Native Americans.” From the article we learn a number of things: (1) The R-team can still use the name, but receive no t...

Shiloh Road concernsOpen letter to Mr. John Mathis and the Arkansas Highway Department District 8: This is an urgent request to consider a traffic signal light on State Highway 7 north at Shiloh Road before there is a loss of life. Often I am behind a half-dozen vehicles on Shiloh Road waiting to enter State Highway 7. Sometimes with a glaring west sun in our eyes and always with four lanes of traffic to watch, I dread trying to turn left toward Russellville. Now...

Veterans Memorial ParkThis letter is intended to expand on the excellent article written by Laura Bean of The Courier, which appeared in the Sunday June 15 edition, about our intention to further recognize area veterans. First, on behalf of the Coalition, I want to thank Ms. Bean and The Courier for their willingness to help with matters of civic interest to our community. Without the help of written media, airtime and other area communications, a project of the ma...